Greek elections: Tsipras confident of leftist victory

Alexis Tsipras, leader of Greece's Coalition of the Radical Left, SYRIZA, has said he is confident of a leftist victory in Sunday's elections, and may be willing to form a government with KKE, the Communist party.

Alexis Tsipras

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Tsiparas has been talking up his chances of success, although no official polls have been published to support his claims of a potential victory. Reiterating his intent to tear up the bail-out memorandum and call a halt to austerity measures, Tsipras declared “We’re not going into battle to lose." (Ekathimerini)

Ta Nea quotes from an interview Tsipras gave to the Financial Times, saying: "SYRIZA is the only political movement today in Greece that can bring economic, social and political stability in the country. The short-term stability in Greece will benefit the eurozone at a turning point for the evolution of the single currency. If we change our course, austerity threatens an even greater certainty, lead us outside the eurozone.

The people of Greece want to replace old and failing Memorandum (signed in March by the EU and the IMF) with a 'national plan for reconstruction and development'.

This is necessary to prevent humanitarian crisis in Greece and to save the single currency."

In addition to demanding Greece remains within the euro without existing Troika conditions imposed, Tsipras has promised to restore the minimum wage, pensions and unemployment benefits, to halt plans to fire workers from the bloated public sector, and to abolish the emergency property tax. He has also promised to halve government ministers salaries, including potentially his own if elected prime minister.

Tsipras has rejected the eight point plan proposed by PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos, who earlier this week called for a government of national unity. He has once again ruled out forming a coalition government with pro-bailout parties.